


Lady Boss

by Zip001



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Torture, mafia, major character deaths, rape (mention)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-09-09 00:51:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8869387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zip001/pseuds/Zip001
Summary: Sansa Stark, a former preschool teacher, becomes the feared boss of the largest and most powerful crime syndicate. This is her story.Some of the chapters have already been published, and some are new.





	1. Sansa's Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa makes a choice.

Sansa closed her eyes, willing everything to go away. Not Sandor, of course. Her shadow he called himself, but that was not true. He was her light, her joy, her everything. Other than Jon, he let her be herself. She did not have to be the Stark ice princess, perfect, gracious and cold, but the dreamy girl, oft silly girl she still was.

It was her dreams of happily ever after, like the fairy tales she told her preschool students, that made her make the first move. It was she who kissed him first. It was she who pursued him. It was she who broke down all of his defenses. First, he called out his duties as her primary guard, that he did not want this thing they had impact her security. She threaten to fire him, and he caved because he knew none of the others would readily and automatically throw themselves before a bullet for her. Then he called out her naïveté, saying that she did not know what she wanted, that he was no fair prince, no gallant knight. And when he stared into her eyes after her indignant 'Really?', he knew he lost. Finally, he told her that he would only hurt her, that he never had a committed relationship, that he was not good with that kind of stuff. And she only responded that he would never hurt her, and they both knew it was true.

Robb found out. He saw them kissing and exploded. She knew that she should not have kept it secret, their relationship. She was not ashamed, but she just wanted something precious for herself for just a little while. When Robb pulled a gun, she jumped in front of Sandor. Luckily, the safety was still on and Robb lowered his piece and left. She had her biggest fight with Sandor who raged that she put herself in danger, grabbing and shaking her like a rag doll. Even though she told him that Robb will be back with more men, he refused to leave - he was not afraid. Seven hells, only foolish people were not afraid! Father said 'The only time a man can be brave is when he is afraid.'

Father! She had to talk to Father. 

When she arrived at his office, Luwin smiled at her, saying that her father expected her.

Fuck! Robb must have already told him.

But when the door was opened, his arms were open wide, and she just ran into them, like when she was a baby girl. It felt so good to be in his arms, and she was crying into his ugly Christmas sweater that they all were wearing. It was the Stark family tradition.

"S-sorry," she cried as he held her in his arms. He smelled like home, his cologne smelled pine-like and also had some balsam tones. 

"Shhh, it would be all right."

Ned kissed his girl. She never wanted to disappoint him. She knew the rules of dating, need to tell her parents first for vetting; and she understood and always followed the rules, unlike headstrong Arya, unlike Rickon and even Robb who dated both Talisa and Jeyne without telling anyone. But this was Sandor - they knew him and trusted him with her own life. Yet as she was saying this to herself, she knew she should have told Father.

It was always calming to be with Father, even though he was head of one of the largest mafia racket. There was such a dichotomy with the father and friend he was and the tough but always fair mafia boss his competitors and his men knew. Right now, he was her father but she knew once her tears were dried, she would face Don Stark. She drew herself up, preparing her speech of contrition and a plea for Sandor and knowing that she would have to speak first, gaining that advantage of setting the tone for the negotiations (this was where Ned was brutally ruthless and made many cry).

But before she could speak, Ned said, "I know. Jon told me. I have only one question - why?"

"What is going to happen to Sandor? What are you going to do?" she wailed. His quiet tone only meant that someone was going to die - he had this tone when they totally razed and eliminated the Targaryens.

"Sansa, I asked you a question."

"I love him. He is my one, like mom is your one. He would never do anything to hurt me, hurt you, hurt our family. Please." She was babbling but could not stop as she saw Sandor like the others, the men Father said betrayed them, like Jorah without any hands and eyes gouged out.

"Why did you not tell me?" he asked softly.

It was at that moment she realized that the Family is her life, whether she acknowledged it or not. What she said could have dire consequences.

"There was something special that our love was just us two who knew. He wanted to tell but I told him that I want to keep us a secret for a few days first, for something that is just for us, something so new and precious. He would do anything for me, you know that to be true."

She held her head up and looked at him unflinching in the eyes.

"It was my fault. Do not punish him for a mistake I made. I will accept any punishment you mete."

"Even if I told you that you could no longer see him and that he has been reassigned to handle the Latin American operations."

With the hands clenched, she yelled, "No, disinherit me, cut me from the family. But not that, he is my love."

"Sansa, you agreed to wed Joffrey Baratheon, and our word is our life. Could you do this to Sandor, marry another and see him on the side?"

She looked down. She knew that she made a vow, a promise. She was the one who suggested it to Father and Mother, a way to tie and bind two of the oldest Houses, to strengthen their combined empires. It would not be fair to Sandor - she was the one who royally and majorly fucked up. She was not a child but was acting like one.

"Sansa, I had the same talk with my father. I wanted to wed a fine lady but was already engaged to your mother. My father asked me the question that I am asking you. And I want you to think hard before you answer. Family or Sandor? What do you choose?"


	2. Sansa's Revenge - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vengeance is mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Previously published chapter - this was originally a prequel to another fill. I have reordered it.

She looked in the mirror and was surprised how clear her eyes were, not puffy nor even a smidgen of red as they were the last six months since her father, his brother and most of their top lieutenants were killed at their apparently not so secret retreat. She simply had no more tears left.

Had she forgotten her father or her brother? No, they were on her mind constantly. She remembered her father's words and advice to his little angel and the silly stupid jokes her brother always flubbed the punchlines.

Sansa didn't need to ask why. Her family effectively controlled everything - from on-line gambling/gaming sites, illicit drugs, weapons, money laundering, etc. Her family controlled all aspects of "shipping/transportation," controlling the major air delivery services, rail lines, shipping containers/shipping companies, the main ports, and even the major internet servers. Anything that was legally and illegally traded, bought or sold, the Starks had their hands in it. Everyone wanted to bring the Starks down even though the profits the Starks retained were fair or as her brother spouted far too many times "too fair." Perhaps their deaths were the result of the news of her father stepping down to enjoy being a grandfather to Robb's little terrors and the unfortunately well-founded fears of Robb taking over (even though no successor was formally named).

No, it doesn't matter why. What matters is who. She had Jojen hacked the personal email boxes and placed wire taps on every Stark competitor, including her betrothed's own family. Nothing has been found so far - all leads were disappointingly dead ends.

And now she had to go to her church rehearsal. Thankfully, Jon (and of course Sandor) will be there even though her other family members couldn't make it (as her mother immediately took her younger siblings, Robb's widow and grandkids into hiding and full lockdown at her Tully family compound). Joffrey's father also couldn't make it - actually that was a good thing, it would be even better if his mother wasn't there either. In fact, with the exception of his father, Joffrey's entire family will be at the rehearsal dinner.

As she brushed mascara on her long lashes, her iPhone rings the theme song for "Chariots of Fire." It is Jon.

"Snow, I will get there on time.... it starts two hours from now."

"We need to talk."

She quickly hung up. Sandor drove her, switching cars, to the safe location where Jon was already waiting for them. Jon, in his clerical collar, looked frazzled and immediately ran and hugged her tight when she got out of the Volvo.

He whispered in her ears, "It is the Lannisters. Tywin, Cersei, Jaime, Joffrey... they are all involved. Lancel, that fool, confessed to me everything. You must leave and take Sandor with you. Take my ring, watch, and wallet. Here, take this key - in my wallet is the Swiss bank location of my safe deposit box."

She stepped back. The worst was that she already knew. It could not have been a coincidence that the announcement of their betrothal happened a few months before the deaths of her father and brother. She already suspected Cersei and wasn't surprised that Joffrey, her fair "prince," was involved. His words of condolence always sounded false, and his body always tense when he pretended to console her.

"No. It will end tonight, tonight at the rehearsal dinner."


	3. Vendetta - Sansa's Revenge (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning- this is a scene of torture. This is a new chapter.

"You don't have to do this," Sandor rumbled.

She did not move, not even stiffen at his words, kneeling down and staring up at that Mother Mary shrine her Irish mother placed in her father's safe room, the room he would go to weather the storm (as he did when his father, his older brother was massacred in the last war) and also the room he went to before and after each kill or hit he commissioned.

It was a large statue, almost life sized. There was such sad tenderness in her eyes but yet there seemed to be a sense of yearning, with her hands seeming to reach out to you.

When Sansa was younger, even though she and her siblings were always underfoot (one time she hid behind the pots and pans in one of the kitchen cabinets), she would never hide in this room. It wasn't because her father expressly forbade her - he never refused his princess anything - but because she knew that this room was sacred, a place where tomfoolery simply did not belong.

In front of her was her sheathed katana sword, the one her father had hand made for her in Japan by one of the last artisans of swordcraft. One of her tiny hands clenched the pommel while the other was on her lap, palm up, holding a smaller sheathed short sword. 

He never understood it - this seemingly imbalance in the weapons. Short and long. But it was effective, the shorter sword, actually a long knife, was brutal in close combat while the long blade started the attack and brought the opponent closer. Each of the Starks were trained to defend themselves - all but for Sansa chose firearms. Even Jon chose a glock.

If he did not know any better, he would have thought his love was a statue. So perfect. A porcelain beauty.

It was time but he did not rush her - she would threw a fit when he rushed her. 

"Sansa, let me do it. It would be the same if I did it."

"No."

She got slowly up and unsheathed the swords. 

Still wearing her engagement silver backless dress and strappy heels, she entered the room which held her father's men, nay her men, her fiance and his mother. The golden ones were shaking from fear and anger, both tied up and on their knees.

The bitch screamed, "If you harm us, my father will kill everyone you love, each of your brothers, your sister, your mother."

She silenced her with one slice to her long white neck, using her long sword as Joffrey watched in shock. Her men watched and stepped back as she circled Joffrey, who was pissing in his pants and whimpering. He was begging for mercy, that it was his mother, his grandfather, that he had nothing to do with it, that he loved her. At those last words, she quickly stabbed him with the short sword, deep enough to hurt badly but not enough to kill. Screaming in pain, Joffrey tried to crawl away.

Father would not allow this to happen - he would kill quickly and mercifully. He would never allow even his enemy the indignity of crawling, begging and crying. He even prayed for their souls.

She was not Father. She kicked him, smarting because her foot already hurt, being crammed into these ridiculously high heels (Sandor called them her fuck me heels). Joffrey curled on the ground, alternatively screaming and crying and begging. Another quick stab. Then another as the men watched, cheering, but for Sandor who she could always hear. She heard his loud breathing behind her.

"Little bird," he whispered so quietly. Sansa knew that she was so wrong, that this was wrong, that Father would be so disappointed. Jon would be disgusted. And yet Sandor would understand she hoped.

Stilling her tears, she rushed to Joffrey, grabbed his golden curls and ended it. Blood was everywhere, on her dress, her hair, her shoes. 

The men quickly broke the body down so they can be easily disposed off, breaking off the teeth, skinning off the finger tips. Normally Father would walk away but she wanted to watch, seeing how solemnly Alyn and Tim did their job, no wasted motions, no emotions, just professional.

Sansa fucked up majorly. But the men watched her in admiration - her ruthlessness was what they thought House Stark should be known for. 

The North never forgets. Winter is coming.


	4. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa has a confession to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has originally been published. This was the original first part, a fill for the following prompt.
> 
> "Sansa is the Boss.
> 
> Prompt: I LOVE all the organized crime AUs but I want to read one where Sansa is the Big Boss. Author's choice if Robb is dead or uninterested or incapable or ineffective re: the family business; I just want to see Sansa in charge and how she deals with it.
> 
> Author's choice if she has a loving, loyal partner, or friends-with-benefits, or people she sexes for business/manipulation purposes, or none/all of the above."

It is dark and cool in here. If she closes her eyes, she can imagine herself away from everything, safe in their summer beach home hiding from Robb in the closet with her half brother, Jon. But then she hears the rustling and feet milling outside - Sandor is always vigilant, scanning the church for possible threats with her men positioned by every entry way and each of the pews scanned for bombs and bugs.

The screen opens, and she sees the familiar jawline of Jon.

"Sansa, it has been so long.... Are you well?"

She placed her gloved fingers against the screen, and Jon immediately places his larger hands against them.

"I miss them all...."

"I do too," he whispered, "Your father was a great man, and your brother, well, he was such a dork."

They laughed. It has been so long since she last laughed. Sansa could demarcate her life between life before she ascended to be the head of the family and after.

"Jon, you know that I have blood on my hands. I had to do it - father and Robb didn't realize that the only mercy is a quick end. I so wished that I did not have to learn such a hard lesson," she trembled and began to cry softly.

She heard Sandor speak loudly to hide her cries - it would not do any good if the others saw any weakness in her. Only with Sandor and Jon can she be the soft tender hearted girl who loved songs and poetry, who would take in and care of stray dogs. Sandor often grumbled affectionately that he was one of her strays that she lavished with such love. He never realized how much he saved and grounded her, making her feel safe and loved.

"Sansa, please don't cry."

"Father was so happy and proud when I became a teacher and left this life like you did. And now I have done so many horrible things that I wouldn't want my former students to know or do.... do you think father is still proud of me?"

"Father always said that you should be the One, the best, smartest and strongest of all of us. He called you an angel.... and you still are an angel, an avenging angel who protects our family and keeps us all safe."

Like the way they did as kids, they both leaned toward the screen with their foreheads touching. Although they were not siblings, they were like twins in that they knew what the other thought and felt. If anyone was looking for one of them, they knew that both would be found together. They sat comfortably in silence until her tears dried.

"Sansa, do you want me to come back with you?"

"Jon, I want and need you to be safe and untouched from this blood. And that means that you can't, you have made your vows as I have made mine."


	5. The Talks - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa has a talk with a mafia elder, her mentor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I broke this into two parts as I was having a hard time with Detective Stannis' confrontation with her, not sure exactly the tone.

"Sansa, you look just like your mother!" Jon "Big A" Arryn exclaimed.

Time in the joint really aged him, the man that Jon Snow was named after. She did what she could, asked that he be cared for, that he not be harassed, that he should want for not. She did what her father had done. Sansa presented him with her famous lemon bars, maybe that was not what her father would have done.

Big A kissed both her cheeks, giggling that her guard Sandor was getting jealous and rightfully so. She had to laugh as Sandor was fake growling for effect - he also loved Big A, who was the one who saved him from a burning house. Big A was always happier and lighter with her than with anyone. He thought that she was the One, not Father's heir, but the one who could break truly free from this life. He told her that she could fly when he watched proudly with her parents her ballet recitals. He still said that when she outgrew her partners. She was their angel, he said, so full of light and grace.

He touched her cheek and leaned his forehead next to hers.

"Stay strong. You are so strong," he whispered.

He always knew what to say and when not to say anything. He was Big A. All of them, including Father, came to him for advice. She knew that Sandor asked Big A advice about his high maintenance woman, as he mockingly called her. She truly was not a princess, even though they all called her that. And it was Big A who was the one who finally convinced Father not to send Sandor away, that Sandor knew his duty and was needed to protect their angel. 

When Father, Robb and all those men she grew up with were killed, Big A silently held her during the entire two hour prison visit as she cried. When she left that day, she whispered "Courage" after he prompted the same word. It took courage to face the world, to hold her head high as the news spewed garbage about her father, destroying his name and legacy. He did not run the topless bars, the prostition rings nor the human trafficking. But yet, but yet, he did business with men who did.

"Are you well? Are you treated well?" she asked, holding his hands.

"Like a King. Your men, nay, do not interrupt, they are yours, loyal to you still even here. The North remembers... our enemies forget that, but we, you and I and your men, we do not."

The room was wired. Everything was wired. 

But yet Big A spoke to her. Holding her hand, he spelled out his thoughts on the latest theft in the Long Beach port. Just two letters, "R" and "B". Fucking Roose Bolton, it was what she suspected all along! That man always wanted more. Sandor said he was one who would always look around when Father divvied up the profits and rewarded his men. He wanted to see where he stood with repect to Father's favor, and he would visibly clench his jaw when Father always honored Jory first a big portion, who, in turn, rewarded his men, always first Pretty Boy Alayn. That Jory was of a lesser Northern family than the Boltons mattered naught to Father, it was loyalty and honor that mattered more. That was why she no longer publicly honored each lieutenant but instead spoke to each privately and gave each the same share as the one she kept for herself.

But as her eyes gave away her anger, Big A shook his head and asked about Robb's oldest, the one they all nicknamed ODB for laughs. When he was born, Robb was in the delivery room and before he fainted, he exclaimed ODB's famous line "Sweet Baby Jesus." Mother would not let them call the baby SBJ (it was against her strict Catholic upbringing), but yet she seemed fine with ODB.

"He does not like to be called that anymore," she quickly corrected him. Little R was already making a fuss about his nickname before Big A was put away.

"Ol' Dirty Bastard?" he asked, nodding his head.

It was the Bolton Bastard, Ramsay Bolton! That was worst because he would be harder to stop. Unlike his father who underestimated her, Ramsay was crazy and unpredictable. Anything she would typically do to enforce the order, would not likely work with him and his Bastard Boys, an especially brutal arm of the North. Sandor told her that the sick boy felt no pain, never any remorse, and, in fact, liked to see his victims suffer.

Big A spoke the most accented Welsh that even she could barely make out sometimes. They then chatted in the old tongue about her gazillions dogs and whether she was gonna make Sandor an honest man. Only Big A could really tease her about Sandor. He called her Jessica Rabbit, a sexy vixen who snared an innocent, a poor schmuck who was unable to withstand her many ample charms. And he made her laugh heartily as he moved his eyebrows up and down as he mock leered at her chest.

He hugged her, whispering that Sandor would make a great father and she, a wonderful mother. That was her dream too! She shook her head, and he shook right back at her. 'Courage,' he mouthed when their time was over. It was over too soon, much too soon.

Sandor walked her to the waiting car, holding her hands as Alyn and Tim walked on either side, looking out for danger. He trusted those men with her - they joined Big A's crew together. Alyn was the better marksmen, more vigilant and smarter than Tim but Tim would walk through fire for Sandor and for Sandor's lady.

"Little Bird, Big A looked good. It would be OK."

"He wants us to have a family."

"We already do, with our dogs. When it is the right time, we will have pups."

"Our babies-" she whispered.

"Will never live this life."

Looking around quickly, he saw his friends look away and quickly kissed her. 


	7. The Snitch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I skipped a "troublesome" chapter - Detective Stannis Baratheon's visit. Stannis is the brother of Ned's best friend, and he spoke often with her father. In the chapter I skipped (and will return to - sorry, I know this is unorthodox), he tries to convince Sansa to come clean and tells her that he knows Ramsay is running illegal dogfights.

She was quite shaken (and perversely thought to herself 'not stirred' as the famous line in the James Bond movies Sandor liked to watch with her) from those two visits. Sansa could not believe that Stannis spoke truly. There was no way that Big A would ever confide in Stannis, no matter how alike he was with her da. Big A was not a rat and he knew better than most that the Family takes care of their own, including their problems, that was the Way. He would not leak to Stannis about the illegal dog fights that Ramsay organized. What sort of game was Stannis trying to play?

Sansa felt a large warm presence behind her and felt a kiss on top of her head. Closing her eyes, she remembered the first time they kissed or more accurately the time she kissed her love. Sandor tried to push her away she recalled with a snort, this over two hundred pound man being overpowered by a woman less than half his weight. It was just one little lick of his jawline, and he just melted into her. Sandor was not used to tenderness although he was one of the gentlest and kindest man she knew. 

Sandor kept that soft side hidden and showed his mercy by offing their enemies quickly and as painlessly as possible. Only after he killed them would he cut off a hand or a tongue of gouge out an eye. Sandor could not even kill a spider but instead would take it outside. He would complain about the strays she took in but he loved them just as much as she does.

"Baby," he rumbled as he continued to kiss her. His large hands were massaging her tense shoulders. She could not help but moan. He always knew how to make her feel good.

"Do not let them get to you, play with your head. You know the Way."

And he quickly turned on the sound system to play the soundtrack of Pulp Fiction, another one of his favorite movies. He continued to massage her, her neck, her shoulders and her back. 

Sansa moaned, "You are so good to me."

 _Bein' good isn't always easy_  
_No matter how hard I try_  
_When he started sweet-talkin' to me_  
_He'd come'n tell me "Everything is all right"_  
_He'd kiss and tell me "Everything is all right"_

Sansa swore that Sandor had magical fingers although he often kidded that he had a magical dick (and that was true too). And his lips were soft, even the scarred part.

As her body relaxed due to ministrations, her mind became more focused. Could she truly ever get out? Even if she were to divest their more shady businesses and focused on the legitimate business lines, there needed to be order and the Northern families looked to the Starks to lead them and enforce their Code. For without order, there would be chaos and havoc. Her Da knew this. She knew this. 

She then thought of Father and Mother. Mother wanted children, and Father wanted Mother to be happy. They made it work even though security detail was an absolute bitch as Sandor would say. Arya would often climb out of her bedroom window to hang out with her friends, and poor Rodrick would have to comb the streets of their hometown. Rickon just ran amok. And Bran loved to climb anything and everything - Sandor often said that if he turned around for a moment, he would find Bran climbing some wall, a tree, a fucking telephone pole. She turned her head and looked at Sandor whose eyes were closed and with a contented smile on his face. He would be a wonderful father.

Sansa decided them hiding their relationship was ridiculous. Most of the men suspected, if not know for certain, that their Stark Queen had been seeing her bodyguard since she was in college when they shared a small flat after Big A convinced Father that she would be cherished by Sandor who would be loyal to Sansa and the Family (and after Father talked with Robb). Those six years, including graduate school, were the happiest and most carefree moments of her life. They were not discrete, openly holding hands and his arms around her. But then that ended when there was an offer to join two of the oldest and most powerful families. She wanted to refuse but Sandor understood the importance of the union - her marriage could result in the peace that Big A and Father was always talking about. He broke it off with her and left for awhile until her engagement with Joffrey was publicly announced. It was Sandor again who convinced her to keep their renewed relationship a secret. He was wrong with Joffrey - he was wrong now.

Sansa smiled thinking of finally being open with her love, of having children with Sandor. They would start once she takes care of Ramsay.

What to do with Ramsay? Let the cops entrap and arrest him for illegal dog fighting? While deserving to go down for that, one of her strays was a scarred survivor of that circuit, she thought it would be better if she was the one who enforced order. There would be no whispers of snitch.

How did Ramsay's crew know about the timing of the shipments? There must be a weak link somewhere in the Kraken organization, the only crew that knew the shipping schedules. Euron was a fucking crazy bastard but he would never do anything to reduce his take - he and his crew suffered the most in those latest heists, including the deaths of his brothers and a fourth of the take. It could not be Asha - the smartest of the lot. Pretty much the rest of the Squids shared one brain, all mindlessly following orders. Not Euron, not his brothers, not Asha nor their underlings. 

Who then? 

Fucking Theon, Robb's best friend! 

He was the weak link, the glue sniffer in high school, and always high on something. She remembered that he hung out for a awhile after Robb's death (or was it before?) with Ramsay even though that Bolton bastard mocked him incessantly, calling him Reek (what the fuck did that even mean?).

She whispered, "Theon."

And Sandor's hands stilled.

"Do you want me to take care of that?" he asked quietly. 

Theon pretty much grew up with them, seemed to live in their house given the number of dinners he attended. He even carpooled her around when she was a pre teen, taking her to ballet recitals while Sandor and Alyn sat besides her each with his gun on his lap. He wasn't just merely part of the Family, Theon was part of their family. Robb called him his brother like the way she thought Jon was her twin in spirit and soul.

Tomorrow was Robb's and Da's memorial. Theon would be there (as well as Ramsay) to pay his respect and pay homage to the deceased. It would be easy to pull him aside without anyone noticing. The key was to not destroy the alliance with Euron and Asha. Euron would not give a crap whether Theon lived or not but Asha, that was another story altogether. She had to be there and witness justice being done.

"No, I will take care of it."

It was laughable the set up now that she was looking back. She forbid ma and her siblings to attend. Arya was pissed but Sandor hogtied her and gagged her while her new boyfriend Gendry laughed (theirs was a strange relationship but it worked). Of course, Jon defied her and attended. But that did not change anything.

After the public service, the immediate "family" retreated to Father's safe room and prayed under the statue of the Maiden. As a courtesy to Theon, Robb's heart brother, his sister Asha was asked to attend the private mass that was led by Jon. Jon knew what wasn't going to happen and tried to dissuade Sansa with his pleading eyes - they were kneeling in front of the statue of the Maiden, praying to the gods. Theon's death would desecrate this holy room.

Jon almost broke down her resolve. Sansa started to gently cry, thinking of Robb and how he would feel if he knew that Theon betrayed them.

Soon Theon's arms circled her, she whispered, "I miss him. Sometimes I feel he is with me... but when I turn, he is not there."

Theon whispered, "I love him too."

He placed his forehead against hers. She quickly grasped his neck with both of her hands as Sandor held struggling Asha back.

Sansa kissed him hard.

" _I know it was you_ Theon... _I know it was you. You broke my heart_ , and if, if Robb were here, he would be devastated."

It was painful to see the emotions in Theon's face, the surprise, the realization that she knew, and the anguish. Sandor made Asha look at Theon, grabbing her head roughly with his hand after he bound her arms and legs. Sansa never saw Asha, her toughest lieutenant break, but she broke in a million pieces, bawling and screaming at her little brother, her little fucker.

That poor weak boy babbled, "He gave me drugs. I did things for drugs - he taped his raping of me, of the crew. I did not know, did not know. I thought he already knew of the place of the retreat... I am sorry, s-sorry."

"Yet even after you had my brother and Da killed, you still supplied him info, sold out your sister, your father, your uncles, me and the North?"

"He would kill me. He hurt me. He cut me."

"Asha was shot, you mother fucker, the sister who practically raised you!"

"I got her to guard the south port, not northside. They weren't supposed to be there. Please. You got to believe me."

Theon looked at his sister who was still spewing obscenities and spitting.

"You should have told us - we could have helped you."

"P-please," he whimpered.

"Do you want me to stop your pain and suffering?"

Theon stared into the face of the statue of the Maiden while Jon looked away. It would be soon over for their childhood friend, the one who told the best jokes and knew the best hiding places. 

Theon knew too. He nodded and whispered, "Yes." He looked her in the eyes.

Sansa quickly looked at Asha who also sadly nodded.

One hard, quick twist, just like the way that Sandor taught her, and a loud snap. His still body fell on her, and she held it, crying, while Jon and Sandor held onto both. Asha fell to the floor crying for her little fucker. 

Jon sang the last stanza of the "Song of the Seven."

 _The Seven Gods who made us all,_ _are listening if we should call._  
_So close your eyes, you shall not fall,_  
_they see you, little children._  
_Just close your eyes, you shall not fall,_  
_they see you, little children._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italicized words from:
> 
> Lyrics from Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man."
> 
> "The Godfather" movie
> 
> GRRM's "A Storm of Swords"


End file.
